Hey fellow writers! I'm looking forward to using this site to get some great feedback on my writing! I've been working hard on a novel since I was 12, so that's almost six years of my life I've dedicated to this book. I had to start the entire thing over multiple times, rename all of my characters and there have been countless plot ideas that I have written down on color coordinated notecards and crumpled sheets of lined paper. Now actually staying motivated to write the novel - not so much. I write mostly fantasy and try to keep things from getting too cliche (but when your book starts to sound too much like Narnia, you start to lose hope. ). So hopefully you can all help me out if I feel like things are too common and overused. Not sure what else to say, other than I hope to meet some wonderful people here and offer my feedback as well. xxx, Ashley
Hi there Ashley. I write fantasy as well didn't start until I was 33 though - sounding like Narnia seems like something I would like to read lol The stories are good. Anyway welcome to the board.
Hello Ashley, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Please read How to Use the Review Room before you post there. Posting your own writing for people to comment on should not be among the very first things you do here. It is worth taking the time to see what other people have done to improve their writing, and see if some of it applies to your writing as well. That is part of why we require members to review other members' work before posting their own for review. On the other hand, there are no restrictions, other than content and copyright rules, on showcasing your work in your member blog. Also, be aware that posting a piece of writing on any public site, including this one, will greatly diminish your chances of selling it for publication. Removing the writing later does not alter that fact - once posted, it is irreversibly considered published. So do not post anything more than a small excerpt of any piece you are planning to submit for publication. If you haven't explored the site yet, you should probably do so soon. Newcomers often gravitate to the Lounge, the Word Games, or the Review Room, but there is much more to be discovered if you poke in the corners. Remember to check out our FAQ as well, and be sure to read through the forum rules, too, to avoid any misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Respect for one another is our principal mandate. As for the Review Room, new joiners often wonder why we do things a bit differently on this site than on other writing sites. We emphasize constructive critique as a vital writing skill. Training your eye by reviewing other people's work helps you improve your own writing even before you present it for others to see. Therefore, we ask members to review other people's writing before posting work of their own. The Review Room forums on this site, therefore, are true workshops, not just a bulletin board for displaying your work (and on that note, please only post each item for review in one Review Room forum). Also, please use the same thread for all revisions and additional excerpts from the same piece of writing. See this post, Why Write Reviews Before Posting My Work? for more information. And while you're looking around, don't forget to check out the RPG forum for improvisational fiction. Also try our Weekly Short Story Contest and Weekly Poetry Contest. They actually run more than one week apiece, but any member may enter, and all members are urged to vote for their favorites. Enjoy your stay here, and have fun!
